Auburn forward Horace Spencer undergoes knee surgery

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl directing freshman Horace Spencer during the team's first practice session of the 2015-16 season. Spencer has undergone knee surgery but isn't expected to miss any of the 2016-17 season.(Photo: Zach Bland/Auburn Athletics)

AUBURN – Auburn forward Horace Spencer has undergone surgery on his left knee but isn’t expected to miss any critical time in the 2016-17 season.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser that Spencer, who averaged 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in his freshman season at the center position, underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Pearl said Spencer is expected to be recover from this procedure by September and will be ready to play when preseason practices for the 2015-16 season begin in October.

Spencer, who was a four-star recruit out of Findlay Prep in Nevada, is expected to start next season at the center as Auburn continues its rebuilding project under Pearl.

“Horace is one of our hardest workers,” Pearl said on Feb. 29. “He is our hardest worker in the weight room and he is one of our hardest workers in his individual workouts and he's got some confidence going in his jump hook. He's showing some more signs…and we watch him string together a number of really good, consistent games where he's a dominating factor defensively when he's not in foul trouble and offensively he's somebody that can score at a high level.”

Smith lead the Mideastern Athletic Conference in field goal percentage last season by shooting 58.5 percent but he will be expected with Spencer to immediately become a rim protector for Auburn at the defensive end. Smith had at least one block in in each of the final 28 games of the 2015-16 season and had nine games with five or more blocks.

Auburn has begun limited summer practices this week as Pearl tries to piece together his new roster that will also consists of new players in the backcourt including five-star freshman guard Mustapha Heron, four-star freshman point guard Jared Harper and incoming transfer guard Ronnie Johnson.